The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-21
BRIDES OF TIE MAD KING.
Tragic Ending Of a Strange Mania Of
Bavariau a-atGens.
Paris SPECIAL ch5ai9o Tri5Hae-

Paris S1@CsEA t4ssE-tsF3 EFA5Hste-
4. curious feminine mania Is called 70
mind tv the recent tragic news from Mt
nsch Two young la1ies OF that city
tarone sse-Lave committed suicide by
drowning in tie Starnberg lake, ar the very
spot where the mad King Louis drowned
himself laSr wear. The names Of these Ia
dies ar. familiar 10 all VINO have been ad-
mirted 70 the best Munich society They
were sisters, aged y and -, and were
famed Tor their beauty. Their family Is 3
very wealthy and noble one Inc mania 10
winch they fell victims had is origin fifteen
or sixteen wears ago. The Young King was
then at the height Of his romantic fame
His ideally handsome hkeneSs was 70 be
seall everywhere and everywhere you heard
talk of MS poetic melancholy. his rOlla1tlc
spirit and ms confirmed celbacy. Naturally
be became an object OF interest 20 sentl-
n .ntal young ladies. Presently, among the
oJner absurd tales that were told OF MIN.
there went abroad the story that he spent
most Of his time In wandering about bis
kingdom IN disguise. He haunted Shsay
lanes and romantic spots. seeking for some
fair maiden VINO should be his chosen BRIDE
Wei this silly tale was believed. and ST
Thousands of hearts 20 iutterlng. Each
maiden wondered il she would be his cho1ce
I II he CHANGED 10 meet her under the lime
4 trees. And she hesitatsd TO plight her tEo-h
I 70 her village lover until she should have
chance 20 meet the King.
So It came 10 pass that in the village OF
/ BertoldshOfen. in the romantic mountain
region OF Southern Bavaria. the nlaidens
( formed themselves inso a sort Of sisterhOod-
/ T-ev pledged themselves 10 each other l.Ot
/ 10 marry until they were sure the King had
passed them by. Each was 70 wear MS
/ Likeness constantly next her bosom, ana
! each was to choose for herself q secret
| bower. where at eventiGe she should await
/ his coming. \ more foolish scheme prob
ably never was devised by the silly brains Of
I loye-sick school girls. But more than score
! of BertolGsaofen nlaidens entered into II with
| the zeal and devotion of nuns The fame
/ OF this sisterhood spread to other Villages,
| 10 towns and citiaS-nay. TO Munich itself.
/ Rustic wenches and the petted beauties Of
! princely princes alike caught the mad dis
/ ease Within a year not less than 1000
Young women all through Bavaria had
/ taken upon themselves the vows of Lud-
/ wig and were waiting for their King
| In time many OF these girls imagined they
/ had been seen and passed by by the King.
and. thus freed from their VOWS, accepted
/ humber husbands. Others grew tired Of
/ waiting and broke their vows. Still others
waited and waited in vain until all other
| s7Iito7s passed them by; and they are wait
I ing still and viii be waiting al their lives.
were thinned new recruits were added, and
| the brides OF Ludwig were still counted
/ BY thousands II Is estimated that there
were no less than 900 Of them az the tine
| Of his suicide. When the news az that
| tragedy became known they forthwith put
on mourning and called themselves the
widows of Ludwig Many OF them took
solemn vows Of lifelong celibscy as a token
| Of faithfulness 10 his memory.
Among these latter. two Of the most de-
voted were the young harnesses, OF Nun
| ich, TO whom we referred They constantly
| wore the deepest mourning. secluded them
selves from all social pleasures, and drove
| themselves into confirmed melancholy.
| Every week they went 70 Starnberg and
threw garlands of flowers into the water at
| the spot where the King was drowned.
Finally they determined to share his fate
| They arrayed themselves as brides, even to
donning wells and orange blossoms, rowed
out into the lake 10 the spot where he was
| drowned. and threw themselves into the
water. Their bodies were found next day,
cl&sped in each others arms. and with por-
| traits Of the mad King next their hearts.
4